I remember siting with my Dad listening on Radio 2. pretty sure Jimmy Armfield was on commentary. so so nervous and when we went a goal down I remember my dad telling me we won't come back. i went up stairs at half time and imagined an unlikely charlton come back ( the innocence of youth aye), however, as we all now know that night it really happened. crazy celebrations with my dad and probably the first time charlton sent me wild and gave me that unbelievable buzz. I remember getting shoot and match magazines that week and putting the middle page "captain fantastic" spread on my bedroom wall.
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Listened to it live on the radio with Dad and brother. Watched (and videoed) the highlights later. Enjoyed watching them periodically over the years. A great night. Commentator seemed most surprised that we won!
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
I think I did a ‘brisk walk’ rather than run and got to New st just as a London train was leaving. Gave me time to make a quick call from a phone box to my dad to give him a report before another train trundled in much to the relief of most of the platform as we could hear Leeds starting to turn up
Absolutely heroic performance from the team that night, we were massive underdogs going into the game.
That was such a special Charlton team, staying in the top flight despite playing every game away from home and getting no real home ground advantage.
Go back and watch the longer highlights and just marvel at what a cracking side Lennie Lawrence, a magician of a manager, put together on a shoestring!
Bob Bolder in goal - not many better than him around in the whole league.
John Humphrey - Rolls Royce of a full-back that played eight seasons straight in the top-flight.
Peter Shirtliff - High class centre-back, went on to win silverware at Wednesday.
Paul Miller - Experienced defender that had played in major finals for Spurs.
Mark Reid - Superb left back, can't remember him having a bad game.
Robert (never Rob) Lee - Fine young player, amazing we got to keep him for as long as we did.
Andy Peake - Very reliable midfielder that went on to do very well at Boro.
Steve Gritt - Great game that night - club legend.
Colin Walsh - What a great left foot, pure class on the ball and great free-kicks.
Garth Crooks - Experienced top-flight striker, did a great job for us and scored critical goals.
Jim Melrose - 17 league goals that season - including three crucial goals in the Play Offs and that Everton hat-trick.
SUB: Mark Stuart: In the end he never quite made it to Barcelona, but was way better than Bromley!
Lennie put that team together, a group of unwanted players, on a shoe-string and they did us bloody proud for four years of top flight football.
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
I think I did a ‘brisk walk’ rather than run and got to New st just as a London train was leaving. Gave me time to make a quick call from a phone box to my dad to give him a report before another train trundled in much to the relief of most of the platform as we could hear Leeds starting to turn up
Our train back to Euston was a four carriage thing, fortunately plod were there to divide up to half us and half Leeds.
Absolutely heroic performance from the team that night, we were massive underdogs going into the game.
That was such a special Charlton team, staying in the top flight despite playing every game away from home and getting no real home ground advantage.
Go back and watch the longer highlights and just marvel at what a cracking side Lennie Lawrence, a magician of a manager, put together on a shoestring!
Bob Bolder in goal - not many better than him around in the whole league.
John Humphrey - Rolls Royce of a full-back that played eight seasons straight in the top-flight.
Peter Shirtliff - High class centre-back, went on to win silverware at Wednesday.
Paul Miller - Experienced defender that had played in major finals for Spurs.
Mark Reid - Superb left back, can't remember him having a bad game.
Robert (never Rob) Lee - Fine young player, amazing we got to keep him for as long as we did.
Andy Peake - Very reliable midfielder that went on to do very well at Boro.
Steve Gritt - Great game that night - club legend.
Colin Walsh - What a great left foot, pure class on the ball and great free-kicks.
Garth Crooks - Experienced top-flight striker, did a great job for us and scored critical goals.
Jim Melrose - 17 league goals that season - including three crucial goals in the Play Offs and that Everton hat-trick.
SUB: Mark Stuart: In the end he never quite made it to Barcelona, but was way better than Bromley!
Lennie put that team together, a group of unwanted players, on a shoe-string and they did us bloody proud for four years of top flight football.
Great summary. Probably everyone has a "team", the one that they most closely associate with, the one where they can name and remember the qualities of every player. This was my team.
Absolutely heroic performance from the team that night, we were massive underdogs going into the game.
That was such a special Charlton team, staying in the top flight despite playing every game away from home and getting no real home ground advantage.
Go back and watch the longer highlights and just marvel at what a cracking side Lennie Lawrence, a magician of a manager, put together on a shoestring!
Bob Bolder in goal - not many better than him around in the whole league.
John Humphrey - Rolls Royce of a full-back that played eight seasons straight in the top-flight.
Peter Shirtliff - High class centre-back, went on to win silverware at Wednesday.
Paul Miller - Experienced defender that had played in major finals for Spurs.
Mark Reid - Superb left back, can't remember him having a bad game.
Robert (never Rob) Lee - Fine young player, amazing we got to keep him for as long as we did.
Andy Peake - Very reliable midfielder that went on to do very well at Boro.
Steve Gritt - Great game that night - club legend.
Colin Walsh - What a great left foot, pure class on the ball and great free-kicks.
Garth Crooks - Experienced top-flight striker, did a great job for us and scored critical goals.
Jim Melrose - 17 league goals that season - including three crucial goals in the Play Offs and that Everton hat-trick.
SUB: Mark Stuart: In the end he never quite made it to Barcelona, but was way better than Bromley!
Lennie put that team together, a group of unwanted players, on a shoe-string and they did us bloody proud for four years of top flight football.
Great summary. Probably everyone has a "team", the one that they most closely associate with, the one where they can name and remember the qualities of every player. This was my team.
Same for me, I loved that group of players to bits and was always gutted when any of them left the club.
It seemed like it took forever to get to the promised land, I’d started watching 1976/7 at the age of 6 and we were there when I’d turned 16 ten years later and I didn’t want us to lose that in our first season . ‘it was so stressful . it was a miracle we were in the top flight but it happened . my eldest is 16 he’s never gonna have that feeling , as a youngster it meant soooo much more cos of all the banter and shit with mates at school etc id had one season in the third tier and here we were in the top tier playing the greatest teams (when people and even myself loved Liverpool !!) my poor little fuckers are watching third tier wank regularly, Ok its at The Valley but they know no different and just know us as a laughing stock shithouse club . That feeling of lickle old Charlton battling against the odds against the big guns , homeless but holding our own with our hardy band of freak fans were genuine miracle years that will live with me forever . id love for us to get back up there at some point but can’t see it happening in the next 20 years what a horrible thing to inflict on my kids Fuck you Charlton
Absolutely heroic performance from the team that night, we were massive underdogs going into the game.
That was such a special Charlton team, staying in the top flight despite playing every game away from home and getting no real home ground advantage.
Go back and watch the longer highlights and just marvel at what a cracking side Lennie Lawrence, a magician of a manager, put together on a shoestring!
Bob Bolder in goal - not many better than him around in the whole league.
John Humphrey - Rolls Royce of a full-back that played eight seasons straight in the top-flight.
Peter Shirtliff - High class centre-back, went on to win silverware at Wednesday.
Paul Miller - Experienced defender that had played in major finals for Spurs.
Mark Reid - Superb left back, can't remember him having a bad game.
Robert (never Rob) Lee - Fine young player, amazing we got to keep him for as long as we did.
Andy Peake - Very reliable midfielder that went on to do very well at Boro.
Steve Gritt - Great game that night - club legend.
Colin Walsh - What a great left foot, pure class on the ball and great free-kicks.
Garth Crooks - Experienced top-flight striker, did a great job for us and scored critical goals.
Jim Melrose - 17 league goals that season - including three crucial goals in the Play Offs and that Everton hat-trick.
SUB: Mark Stuart: In the end he never quite made it to Barcelona, but was way better than Bromley!
Lennie put that team together, a group of unwanted players, on a shoe-string and they did us bloody proud for four years of top flight football.
Great summary. Probably everyone has a "team", the one that they most closely associate with, the one where they can name and remember the qualities of every player. This was my team.
Went by coach, got there seconds before kick off. On the way back traffic came to a standstill on the M1 and Leeds fans tried to attack our coach. The game at Elland Road was probably the most intimidating atmosphere I've ever known at a game.
Some posters have said they listened to radio commentary, which I recall doing, but my memory is telling me that, typical BBC, Charlton didn't rate high enough to justify a whole match and it started quite late, possibly the second half after 9pm. Are my recollections correct ?
Scariest night I've ever had at football. On the drive up, I got close to the ground and turned a corner to find Leeds fans fighting each other and smashing up a pub. Unbelievable performance and result from the team.I drove straight from work, so I was probably the only bloke wearing a tie and suit amongst the fans. At the end, the coppers said we are opening the gates - run like hell ( which I did) and I drove my car the wrong way up a one way street to get away from it. On one of the Player dinners I told Peter Shirtliff what a hero he was that night and the horrible experience of being a fan that night. I think he was a bit perplexed !
Scariest night I've ever had at football. On the drive up, I got close to the ground and turned a corner to find Leeds fans fighting each other and smashing up a pub. Unbelievable performance and result from the team.I drove straight from work, so I was probably the only bloke wearing a tie and suit amongst the fans. At the end, the coppers said we are opening the gates - run like hell ( which I did) and I drove my car the wrong way up a one way street to get away from it. On one of the Player dinners I told Peter Shirtliff what a hero he was that night and the horrible experience of being a fan that night. I think he was a bit perplexed !
I imagine what you saw was a few Birmingham involved.
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.
Don’t understand - I said 1st leg at Shithurst, 2nd leg at Leeds (hence the noise their fans made when teams came on pitch), and decider at St Andrews (hence me running to New Street station)
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.
Don’t understand - I said 1st leg at Shithurst, 2nd leg at Leeds (hence the noise their fans made when teams came on pitch), and decider at St Andrews (hence me running to New Street station)
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.
Don’t understand - I said 1st leg at Shithurst, 2nd leg at Leeds (hence the noise their fans made when teams came on pitch), and decider at St Andrews (hence me running to New Street station)
Travelled to this game with my old schoolmates Johnnie Staitham and Nick Hannam. Amazing night. Remember Johnnie wandering out of St Andrews with a big smile on his face while Nick and I were screaming at him to run to the car! Both died far too young... think of them pretty much every game I go to...
Travelled to this game with my old schoolmates Johnnie Staitham and Nick Hannam. Amazing night. Remember Johnnie wandering out of St Andrews with a big smile on his face while Nick and I were screaming at him to run to the car! Both died far too young... think of them pretty much every game I go to...
I knew both of them, you are right good blokes who went to early.
Leaving St Andrews that night is one of the most scary exits from a Charlton match I have experienced - only leaving Stamford Bridge after the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in ‘88 compares
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.
Don’t understand - I said 1st leg at Shithurst, 2nd leg at Leeds (hence the noise their fans made when teams came on pitch), and decider at St Andrews (hence me running to New Street station)
Comments
35 years ffs I’m so old , I’m probably dead
Shirtliff in 1987
Rufus in 1998
Bauer in 2019
Edit.
Purrington too in 2019.
A much younger me ran all the way to New St station, which in hindsight made me stand out as a Charlton fan, despite not wearing any colours - I was bloody quick in my youth though, so never at risk of being caught
I will admit, when Leeds scored, I really thought that we wouldn’t’ come back
I remember the metal detectors at Sellout to go through the turnstiles in the 1st leg, and unless my mind is playing tricks on me, some nut job of a Charlton fan who was in the away end, made himself known, and was escorted out by the Police into Arthur Waste stand ???
2nd leg - when the teams came out - wow, the noise the Leeds fans generated was incredible - I felt a long way from home at that point - post match was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still you had to keep your wits about you
That was such a special Charlton team, staying in the top flight despite playing every game away from home and getting no real home ground advantage.
Go back and watch the longer highlights and just marvel at what a cracking side Lennie Lawrence, a magician of a manager, put together on a shoestring!
Bob Bolder in goal - not many better than him around in the whole league.
John Humphrey - Rolls Royce of a full-back that played eight seasons straight in the top-flight.
Peter Shirtliff - High class centre-back, went on to win silverware at Wednesday.
Paul Miller - Experienced defender that had played in major finals for Spurs.
Mark Reid - Superb left back, can't remember him having a bad game.
Robert (never Rob) Lee - Fine young player, amazing we got to keep him for as long as we did.
Andy Peake - Very reliable midfielder that went on to do very well at Boro.
Steve Gritt - Great game that night - club legend.
Colin Walsh - What a great left foot, pure class on the ball and great free-kicks.
Garth Crooks - Experienced top-flight striker, did a great job for us and scored critical goals.
Jim Melrose - 17 league goals that season - including three crucial goals in the Play Offs and that Everton hat-trick.
SUB: Mark Stuart: In the end he never quite made it to Barcelona, but was way better than Bromley!
Lennie put that team together, a group of unwanted players, on a shoe-string and they did us bloody proud for four years of top flight football.
‘it was so stressful .
it was a miracle we were in the top flight but it happened .
my eldest is 16 he’s never gonna have that feeling , as a youngster it meant soooo much more cos of all the banter and shit with mates at school etc
id had one season in the third tier and here we were in the top tier playing the greatest teams (when people and even myself loved Liverpool !!)
my poor little fuckers are watching third tier wank regularly, Ok its at The Valley but they know no different and just know us as a laughing stock shithouse club .
That feeling of lickle old Charlton battling against the odds against the big guns , homeless but holding our own with our hardy band of freak fans were genuine miracle years that will live with me forever .
id love for us to get back up there at some point but can’t see it happening in the next 20 years
what a horrible thing to inflict on my kids
Fuck you Charlton
The game at Elland Road was probably the most intimidating atmosphere I've ever known at a game.
On one of the Player dinners I told Peter Shirtliff what a hero he was that night and the horrible experience of being a fan that night. I think he was a bit perplexed !
Sorry to correct you, but the replay was at St Andrews. The second leg was at Elland Road, another very nervy experience, but easier than Birmingham.